Garment hanger



July 5,1938. LIMcD. MARSHALL 2,122,617

GARMENT HANGER Filed Oct. 12, 1937 1 N VE N TOR. 001.55 M 0 MHPSHHLL BY mjwm f/gnz ATTORNE Patented July 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in garment hangers, particularly hangers intended for use with evening gowns and other apparel in which the upper portion is relatively light and 5 weak and susceptible of being easily distorted or stretched out of shape.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a garment hanger by the use of which the upper portions of the garment are relieved of the load of the skirt portion, and hence are not subjected to distorting strains.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a hanger which is adapted to support the garment in a loosely folded condition, thereby greatly shortening the space required for its storage, facilitating the packing of garments in wardrobe trunks and the like, in the delivery trucks of dry cleaning establishments, etc.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a garment hanger embodying the invention, an evening gown being indicated in outline to illustrate the first step in the procedure of supporting a gown upon my hanger.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the hanger only.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the hanger with the adjusting slide hooked up to the upper element of the hanger.

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the lower element of the hanger hooked up to the upper element, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a hanger in one of its operative positions, with a dress supported thereon.

In the drawing the upper element of the hanger is shown at I0, provided with the usual supporting hook ll. Midway of the ends of the element I I secure to that element the upper extremity of a flexible connection 12, which preferably consists of a cloth strap or tape. If desired the upper end of this tape may have front and back pieces l3 and I4 both of which are fastened to element I0 by any suitable means.

The lower element l of the hanger consists of a transversely elongated loop formed preferably of wire, providing a straight garment supporting bar l6. An elongated ring I! is swiveled onto the upper part of the element l5 and carries an eye l8 on the side opposite the ring proper. The tape l2 extends downwardly, through the ring I! and upwardly again, forming a loop l9.

On its extremity the tape has secured thereto an adjusting slide 20, by means of which the length of loop 19 may be varied and its end held in adjusted position. This slide 20 also carries an eye 2| similar to the eye l8. A small hook 22 extends forwardly from the center of the upper element In of the hanger, and upon this hook either one of the eyes 18 and 2| may be supported.

To place an evening gown or other garment upon the hanger the shoulder straps 23 and 24 of the garment are placed over the upper element IQ, with the garment behind the flexible connection tape I2, as indicated in Fig. 1. The skirt portion of the garment is then caused to extend in a forward direction through the loop of the lower element l5, so that the skirt hangs in front of the bar l6. Now, if the user desires to get the garment into a small compass, as shown in Fig. 5, he or she grasps the eye I8 with one hand and lifts the lower element thereby up to the position of Fig. 4 and hooks the eye over the hook 22. The greater part of the weight of the garment is then carried by the bar l6, which is directly supported from the upper element Ill, so that the shoulder straps 23 and 24 of the garment are relieved of most of the load, and hence are not likely to be stretched and pulled out of shape as would be the case if the whole garment were supported in the usual manner upon the ordinary coat hanger by means of the shoulder straps.

Instead of connecting the lower element to the upper element by the hook 22 and eye I8, I may merely place the loop l5 over the hook I I.

It will usually be advisable to have the bar l6 of the lower element positioned about two-thirds of the way down the length of the garment. This may be brought about regardless of the length of the garment by changing the adjustments of the slide 20. In some cases the user may not wish to shorten the length of the supported garment as much as in the arrangement of Fig. 5. If so, he merely hangs the eye 2| over the hook 22, as in Fig. 3, instead of the eye 18. However, in order to balance the portions of the skirt supported on bar IS in such a case'it may be advisable to first lower the element l5 by means of the slide 20.

Variations from the described structure may be employed. Accordingly I desire it to be understood that the scope of the invention is to be regarded as defined exclusively by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description or the accompanying illustration.

Eaving thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A garment hanger comprising an upper element adapted to receive and support the shoulder straps of a garment, a lower element having a transversely elongated loopthrough which the skirt portion of the garment may be caused to extend, and a flexible connection between said elements permitting the lower element to be raised with respect to the upper element for supporting the skirt portion independently of the shoulder straps.

2. A garment hanger comprising an upper element adapted to receive and support the shoulder straps of a garment, a lower element having a transversely elongated loop through whichv the skirt portion of the garment may be caused. to extend, and a flexible connection between said elements permitting the lower element to beraised with respect to the upper element, said upper and lower elements comprising means for remavably supporting the lower element upon the upper element, whereby the skirt portion of the garment is supported independently of the shoulder straps.

3. A garment hanger comprising an upper element adapted to receive and support the shoulder straps of a garment, a lower element having a transversely elongated loop through which the skirt portion of the garment may be caused to extend, and a flexible connection between said elements permitting the lower element to be raised with respect to the upper element, one of said elements having a hook and the other having an eye adapted to cooperate for supporting the lower element upon the upper element, Whereby the skirt portion of the garment may be supported independently of, the shoulder straps.

'4. A garment hanger comprising an upper element adapted to receive and support the shoulder straps. of a garment, a lower element having a V transversely elongated loop through which the skirt portion of the garment may be caused to extend, a tape connecting said elements, said tape comprising a looped portion and an adjusting slide, said slide carrying meansfor hooking it onto the said upper element. I V

LOUISE McD'. MARSHALL. 

